Storm
by Airhead259
Summary: 'How long has it been, since that day...'


_After reading and re-reading this fic countless times, I realised how pointless it is. It's also COMPLETELY different from my regular stuff, there are constant changes in tense, I like certain parts of this fic more than the others, etc, etc. In short, I have various issues with this fic, but I feel the need to post it anyway. _

_I would really appreciate reviews on this one,, but please don't be TOO critical unless you need to. Thanks._

_Also, this is set in the canon universe for once._

_Disclaimer: Cardcaptor Sakura and its characters belong to CLAMP and no-one else._

* * *

><p><span>Storm<span>

'_How long has it been, since that day…?'_

The skies above Tomoeda were overcast, casting a grey-blue light over the entire town. Thunder rumbled in the distance and the clouds seemed like they would burst at any moment. Being the start of the rainy season, the storm was well expected, and the majority of the town had already chosen to stay indoors. However, a lone figure could be seen walking aimlessly through the town, lost in thought.

"It's going to rain soon…" Sakura Kinomoto murmured, reminding herself of the obvious. Ever since she was a child, she had hated storms. And yet here she was, making her way to nowhere when it was obvious that one was approaching. Even now, she found herself asking, "Why?"

The answer was simple; she wanted to think. And for whatever reason, her thoughts had drawn her out of the comfort of her home and into the empty streets. Looking down at her feet as she walked, Sakura smiled, lost in the memory of her childhood.

'_Today is the anniversary…of the day we saved Tomoeda.'_

_How old had they been, when they had first met? Not more than ten, she assumed. She had only just begun her 'job' as a Cardcaptor and was already doing a decent job of it. Or so she thought, until he had come along._

_The day of his arrival, he had glared at her throughout all of their classes. She still remembered the serious look on his face when he had asked her to hand over the Clow Cards. Back then, he had been a complete mystery to her; an enigma. And although his presence had irked her at first, they soon began to work together, in a way. Eventually, their teamwork became a crucial part of their card capturing strategy._

Upon hearing the sound of a bell, Sakura looked up. The old bell tower met her eyes and her cheeks turned pink at the sight.

'_This is the place…where I finally told him.'_

"_I…like you!"_

_When she first heard his confession, she had been stunned. Not knowing how to respond, she had continued to avoid him for that day, and the day after that, and the day after that as well. And then, he had left her behind to dwell on her feelings. For two years she waited and slowly came to the realization that she was in love with him. Thinking that he would never return, she had wept many times, wishing that she had realized it all sooner._

_Until he came back._

_When they had fought the Void after his return, she had been scared. Scared because she knew that no matter what happened, she would lose her feelings for him before she had even had the chance to tell him. And when he ended up giving himself up for her sake, she was devastated. But with the intervention of the Cards – her friends–she was able to help him retain his feelings for her._

_He had saved her. And in their gratitude, they had saved his love. _

Lost in her recollections of the past, Sakura didn't see where she was going and bumped into someone. Stumbling backwards a little, she bowed slightly, eyes still focused on the ground.

"Sorry," she said softly. "I wasn't looking where I was goi-"

"Sakura?" She looked up at the person, only to find that it was none other than _him_.

"S-Syaoran, what are you doing here?" she asked him uncertainly. What were the odds of meeting him here in the middle of nowhere, of all people?

He shrugged. "I like this kind of weather, so I thought I'd take a walk. You?"

She smiled. "I just wanted to get out of my house for a while, so I decided to walk around town for a while. The weather is good for thinking, ne?"

He raised an eyebrow. "But I thought you hated storms? It looks like it could rain any-"

A loud clap of thunder sounded from above them and Sakura stiffened. Within moments, rain was pouring down around them in torrents.

Syaoran looked at the girl in front of him. He knew that she was trying her best to be strong, but he could see her fists shaking at her sides where they were clenched tightly. Letting out a long breath, he suddenly grabbed her wrist and began to pull her in the direction from which he had come.

"…hoe? Where are we going?"

"To find some shelter. I don't want to get sick." She smiled inwardly. Despite his excuse, she knew that he had noticed her fear, no matter how hard she had tried to hide it.

'_He knows me too well,'_ she mused, sighing in defeat as he led her along, his hand warm against her wrist. Soon enough, since their houses were too far away and the rain was getting heavier, he dashed off towards Penguin Park. Still tugging her arm, he pulled her under the large slide and they huddled there together, hoping to wait out the storm.

Droplets of water hung in her hair and slid down her face, making her look almost as if she had been crying. His hair and clothes were equally soaked through, but he paid them no heed as he pulled a small handkerchief from his pocket. Taking her chin in his hands, he slowly dabbed at her face in an attempt to dry her off. Sakura opened her mouth to protest, but closed it again when she saw the serious look in his eyes. Blushing slightly, she averted her eyes as he continued to dab at her hair and shoulders.

"I don't want _you_ to catch a cold, either," he told her. "Remember what happened the last time?"

_She would never forget that day; she had been too dazed to do anything right. In what had seemed like an act of pity at the time, he had given her their latest 'capture' out of free will, and told her to go home and rest. His gesture had seemed unnaturally kind at the time, but she gradually came to realize that he was not the type of person that he appeared to be. Underneath his cold exterior lay a considerate, yet shy boy. _

_That was not her first encounter with his 'other side', and it definitely wouldn't be her last._

The thunder sounded again, this time louder than before. Syaoran pulled her closer to him and she buried her face in his shoulder. Aside from her family and Tomoyo, he was the only one who she could show her true emotions to. He had seen her cry many times before, the first being when she was turned down by Yukito. And when she thought about it now, she realized that he must have had feelings for her at that time, too.

'_He's been there for me, so many times, always putting his own needs aside for the sake of mine. I don't deserve a friend like him…'_

Almost as if on cue, Syaoran spoke. "No matter what happens, I'll be here for you Sakura. Remember that."

It was those words that broke the barrier in Sakura's heart. Tears began to flow from her eyes and before long, she was sobbing into his shoulder, clutching his shirt as if he was her only support. He wrapped his arms around her in a comforting gesture, stroking the back of her head with one hand.

"It's not fair," she murmured, loud enough for him to hear. "You've done so much for me in the past, and I've done _nothing_ at all to repay you. I'm a horrible friend."

He continued to stroke her hair until her words finally registered in his mind. Surprised, he pulled back slightly. "I never asked for anything," he said, frowning. "What made you think something like that?"

She sniffed, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "Since we were kids, you've been protecting me, comforting me, helping me with things…and all I've ever done for you is…knit you a scarf." She cringed at the memory of her crudely-made scarf, which he had accepted and worn anyway, despite its flaws.

"I only wish…that I could do more for you, Syaoran," she said softly. "I just want you to-" She was cut off when he pressed his lips against her forehead. Her heart melted at the gesture, and she blushed.

Pulling away, he gave her a faint smile. "You think too little of yourself, you know that?" he told her teasingly. Then, his expression became serious. "You've done more for me than you'll ever know."

"I…don't understand."

He shook his head. "Remember how I was when I first came to Tomoeda? I did nothing but insult you, and yet, you were friendly towards me. You thanked me for 'helping' you, when anyone else in your place would have avoided me as much as possible. That's when your positive attitude and nature started to get to me, too. The way you would laugh at anything, the way you smiled even during the worst situation. From the moment I met you, I began to see life from a different perspective."

"You changed me, Sakura," he said softly, wiping her tears away. "You befriended a complete stranger, who was meant to be your rival, and gave him a chance to become a better person. If it hadn't been for you, I would have remained cold-hearted and lived alone for the rest of my life. You saved me from a life of isolation. And I can never thank you enough for that."

Sakura smiled through her tears and waited for them to subside so that she could respond. Then, she cleared her throat softly.

"I love you, Syaoran," she whispered shyly. "You know that right?"

He grinned back. "Of course. And I love you too."

The rain around them began to lighten and within a few minutes, it slowed to a stop. A few rays of sunlight peeked through the grey clouds, illuminating the park and the couple sitting underneath the slide, who were completely oblivious to their surroundings.

Syaoran pressed his forehead against Sakura's, glad to see that she had stopped crying. They stayed like that for a while, simply gazing into each other's eyes, until he finally said, "You know, it stopped raining a few minutes ago."

She blinked. He chuckled and leaned in, brushing his nose against hers. "Want me to walk you home?"

Her cheeks turned pink. "Can we stay here for a little while longer? I don't want to leave just yet."

Moving closer, he whispered, "Anything for you, Sakura," before gently pressing his lips to hers.


End file.
